Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1 SPECIEICATION 1332~8
DISTANCE MEASURING METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus
for measuring the distance to a target to be detected in the
ground, water, snow or the like, the slag level or molten
steel level in a melting reduction furnace, converter or the
like and the distance to an ordinary target to be detected.
.,
Description of the Prior Art
Methods heretofore known or conceived for measuring the
distance to a target to be detected in the ground or water
in a noncontact manner by using~for example,an electromagnetic
wave include one which transmits a monopulse of the order
of several nst10 9 seconds) as shown,for example,in Japanese
Patent Publication No. 55-44916 or another which transmits
a pseudo random signal instead of a pulse signal as shown,
for example,in a pub1ica~ion"Subsurface Radar Using Code Pulse"
(Suzuki et al. Institute of Electronics, Information and
; Communication Engineers, Technical Report SANE 87-1, 1987).
In the method of transmitting a pseudo random signal,
. , .
~ 25 such 2 pseudo random signal as an M-sequence (~aximal length
; sequence) signal or Earker code signal tending to easily produce
an autocorrelation output is generated with a given PRF
`; ! ' '
- 2 - 133~8
¦ 1 (pulse repetition frequency) so that after its power amplif;ca-
tion, the generated signal is transmitted as an electromagnetic
wave into the ground or water through a transmitting antenna.
The reflected wave from the target to be detected is rece;ved
5 through a rece;ving antenna so that after the conversion from
the high-speed received signal to a low-speed received signal
by a sampling device, the received output is subjected to
pulse compression by a correlator and a detected signal increased
~ in signal amplitude is generated. The time interval between
f 1û the transmission of the pseudo random s;gnal and the generation
of the detected signal from the correlator is equal to the
propagation time of the electromagnetic wave going back and `
forth the distance between the transmitting and receiving
,. .:
antennas and the target to be detected as in the case of the
15 ordinary radar and therefore the distance to the target to
be detected can be calculated. Generally, the electromagnetic ;
wave is attenuated more under the ground than in the space
and its phase ;s also changed. Thus, the frequency of the
electromagnetic wave used is selected on the basis of the
20 properties of the earth (e.g., the wet soil or dry soil), the
detecting distance, etc.
The above-descr;bed conventional method and apparatus
of the type designed to measure the time between the transmission
of a pseudo random signal and the generation of a detected
25 signal from the correlator has the disadvantage of requiring
a sampling device in the apparatus,thereby increasing the
number of component parts, ~ the scale of the apparatus
q
~ 3 ~ 1 3 3 ~ 8
1 and the cost. In addition, the correlator requires
a tapped delay line as its component part,w;th the result;ng
disadvantage of causing a measuring error by a waveform dis- ;
tortion caused by the passing of the received signal through
the delay line.
On the other hand, a method of forming a correlator by
subjecting the received signal to A-D conversion and performing
a digital signal processing has not been put in practice as
an economical apparatus due to the limited response speeds
of circuit elements alldthe difficulty of the real time process-
ing.
Also, the conventional level measuring methods for the
slag level, molten steel level, etc., in melting reduction
furnaces, converters, etc., and position measuring methods
for targets to be detected have been divided roughly into
two types, i.e., contact type and non-contact type.
The contact-type methods include an electric conduction
detection type and an apparatus of this type has been devised
as shown,for example,in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model No.
61-129858 in which at least two electrodes are moved up and
down from the top of a furnace and a voltage is applied between
the electrodes,thereby detecting the presence of slag by an
; I' ' : ,
electric conduction between the electrodes and measuring the
slag level by the position of the electrodes.
Also, for performing a temperature distribution measuring method, ~:
which is one of the contact type methods, an apparatus has
.~ been proposed in which, as shown, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent
_ 4 _ 1332~8 ~
No. 61-217516, a large number of temperature sensors are
embedded at suitable intervals in the lance of a converter : ~.
and the temperature distribution in the furnace is continuously
measured by the temperature sensors, thereby measuring the
slag level on the basis of the characteristics of the ~ ~
temperature distribution. : .
The non-contact type methods include a microwave FMCW .
(frequency modulated continuous wave) method wh;ch has been : .
proposed, for exa~ple, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. 63-21584 -
or 61-57875 in which a continuous microwave having a frequency :::
of about 10 GHz is frequency modulated and transmitted from : ~ .
an antenna toward a surface to be measured?whereby the beat :
frequency resulting from the mixing of the transmitting signal
and the reflected wave from the surface to be measured is
counted and the level of the surface is measured. This method :
measures the distance from the antenna to the target to be :
measured on the ground that the required propagation time
for the microwave to go back and forth the distance between ~
the antenna and the target to be measured corresponds to the ~;
20 beat frequen
Also, as a microwave pulse modulation type, there has -
been known a method in which, as in the case of the ordinary
radar to detect a flying target, a microwave having a frequency .:~
of about 10 to 20 GHz is pulse modulated and transmitted to
25 measure the distance to a target to be detected on the basis
of the fact that the required wave propagation time until :
the reception of the reflected wave from the target to be
~ 5 ~ 1332~
1 detected is proportional to the distance to the target.
In addition, as shown,for example,in a publication "An
Experimental Study of a Pulse Compression Radar Using Random
Series" (Nishimoto et al. The Institute of Electronics,
Information and Communication Engineers, Technical Report
SANE 85-25, September 1985), a measuring method employing
a radar has been known in which a carrier wave having a
frequency of 1 to several tens GHz is modulated by a pseudo
random signal, e.g., a maximal length sequence signal,and
transmitted to a target to receive the reflected wave from
the target, and an optimal matched filter comb;ning a tapped
delay line and a weighted adder is used in a demodulation
system to effect a pulse compression and thereby improve
the resolution and sensitivity.
With the conventional level measuring methods above-
mentioned or the methods for measuring the distance to a target, if
the methods are of the contact type, they all tend to
-deteriorate the durability of the portions which contact
the slag or molten steel in a furnace or tend to cause damages
to those port;ons. In the case of the electric detection
type of conduction, there are disadvantages that an erroneous
signal is generated due to an insulation fa;lure of the
1 ' !
electric insulat;ng portion caused by the dust or the molten
steel splash in a furnace, that a continuous measurement
cannot be effected due to the detection by the vertical move-
ment of the electrodes and so on. ~
~:
, ~
-- 6 -- I 3 3 ~
1 Also, in the case of the temperature distribution
measuring method of the contact type, the embedding of the
temperature sensors in the lance cooled with water deteriorates
the response of the temperature sensors due to the heat-
transfer characteristic of the lance. There is another
disadvantage that when increasing the number of temperature
sensors for the purpose of improving the measuring accuracy,
there are many restrictions to the wiring of the sensors from
the spatial and temperature point of view. ~
~0 In the case of the microwave FMCW method of the non- ~ -
contact type, since the inside space of the furnace is limited
and the wave reflectors such as the lance and the charging
hole of the furnace are present within the space, when a
microwave is transmitted into the furnace, undesired reflected
15 waves,including multipath reflected waves,are generated with ;
the resulting disadvantage of making it difficult to eliminate
the undesired reflected signals and thereby - accurately
~;~ measure only the reflected signal from the intended target
to be detected.
Also, in the case of the microwave pulse modulation method
of the non-contact type, there are disadvantages. ~or exa~ple, since
usually the signal reception is effected after the transmission
of the pulse modulated wave has been completed, considering
the propagation velocity of the microwave, it is necessary
. ~ : .,
for a short distance measuring radar to transmit a microwave
having a relatively large peak transmission power and modulated
by a pulse of a very short time width and to measure a small
f,~
. , .
- 7 ~ 1 3 3 2 ~
1 time required until the reception of a received signal reflected
from a short distance target and it is difficult to technically
realize these operations. This makes the method unsuitable
for use in short distance measurements such as the
level measurement in a furnace and so on.
Further, in the case of the microwave pulse compression
radar method of the non-contact type, there are disadvantages
¦ that while, after receipt of the signal, the pulse width
is compressed to increase the received power and thereby
improve the resolution and sensitivity, the construction of
the optimal matched filter combining the tapped delay line
and the weighted adder requ;red in the demodulation system ;s
complicated In particularS if a pseudo; random s;gnal length
is increased ~e.g., 25 to 22) so as to enhance the sensitivity,
the apparatus is complicated in construction and increased
in size,thereby increasing the cost. There is another dis-
advantage of requiring complicated operations such as
adjustments of delay times among the taps and the adjustment
for the correction of a waveform distortion during the propaga-
tion in the delay line. Still another disadvantage is that
` ~ where the funct;on of the matched filter is performed by a
digital signal processing, a high-speed A-D converter and a p~
high-speed computing unit are required,thereby similarly ;
complicating the construction of the apparatus, increasing ;
its size and increasing the cost. ~
: ~ '.. '':
1 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION , 1332~
It is a first object of the present invention to provide a
distance measuring method and apparatus which overcome the
foregoing deficiencies of the conventional methods and apparatus
for measuring the distance to a target to be detected in the
ground or water and also are capable'of'detecting the distance
to such target to be detected with a simple construction.
It is a second object of the invention to provide a distance. :
measuring method and apparatus which overcome the foregoing ~ -
deficiencies of the conventional methods and apparatus for
measuring the slag level or molten steel level in a bl~æ~
furnace, converter or the like and also are capable of ~ :'
accurately measuring a level position such as the slag level
or molten steel level or the distance to a target to be detected
from a short distance continuously in a non-contact manner
by the use of an inexpensive apparatus without being affected -
: by environmental conditions such as the presence of dust.;'
To accomplish the first object, in accordance with the
invention there is thus provided a distance measuring method
comprising the steps of generating first and second pseudo
random signals which are the same in pattern but slightly
different only in frequency, branching the first pseudo
random signal in two parts such that its onepart is transmit~
ted toward a target to be detected and the other pzrt is , ,~
multiplied by the second pseudo random signal to calculate a
first product value, calculating a second product value'of .,
~33~
_ 9
1 the received s;gnal obtained by receiving the reflected signal
¦ from the target and the second pseudo random signal, and
¦ measur;ng the time difference between the time sequence pattern
of the first product value and the time sequence pattern of
the second product value, thereby measuring the distance to
the target.
To accomplish the first object, in accordance with the ~:
invention there ;s provided a distance measuring apparatus
comprising first and second pseudo random signal generating
means for generating first and second pseudo random signals
. which are the same in pattern but slightly different only in
frequency, transmitting means for transmitting the output of
the first pseudo random signal generating means as a transmitted ~ ;
signal to a target to be detected, receiving means for receiving
a reflected signal from the target to obtain a received signal,
a first multiplier for multiplying the outputs of the first
, ,.
. :. ~ . . .
i~ and second pseudo random signal generating means, a second ... :
~ multipl;er for multiplying the output of the receiving means ;~
;~ : and the output of the second pseudo random signal generating ;~
-. : 20 means, and means for measuring the time difference between ~ ::
: .
: ~ . the time sequence patterns of the outputs from the first and :: .
second multipliers. i . .:
To accompl;sh.the second object, in accordance with the :-
.~ invention there is provided a distance measuring method I
~'~ 25 Gomprising generating a first pseudo random signal and a second ~1:
pseudo random signal which is the same in pattern but slightly :.u
different in frequency from the first pseudo random signal,
I ~ ' ' ,;'",' '';
- 10 - 1332~.38
1 multiplying the first and second pseudo random signals to
generate a time sequence pattern of a product value, modulating
a carrier wave by the first pseudo random signal and trans-
mitting the modulated carrier wave toward a target to be
S detected, multiplying a received signal consisting of a received
reflected signal from the target and the second pseudo random
signal, detecting the correlative modulated carrier wave to
generate a time sequence pattern of the detected signal, and
I measuring the time difference between the product time seqùence ~-
j 10 pattern and the detected signal time sequence pattern,thereby
measuring the distance to the target.
To accomplish the second object, in accordance ~ith the
invention there is provided a distance measuring apparatus
comprising first pseudo random signal generating means, second
pseudo random signal generating means for generating an output :
signal which is the same in pattern but slightly different
; : in frequency from the output signal of the first pseudo random
~: signal generating means, a first multiplier for multiplying
.~; the output of the first pseudo random signal generating means .~.
~ ~ 20 and the output of the second pseudo random signal generating
~ .
means, carrier wave generating means, transmitting means for
transmitting a signal obtained by modulating the outpjut si~gnal
. of the carrier wave generating means by the output of the~:1
~ first pseudo random signaL generating means as a transmitted
.: ~ .
: 25 signal to a target to be detected, receiving means for receiving
a reflected signal from the target to obtain a received signal,
a second multiplier for multiply;ng the output of the recéiving
.
;
- 1 1 - 1 3 3 2 ~ ~ 8
1 means and the output of the second pseudo random s;gnal generat- -
ing means, detect;ng means for detecting the carr;er wave
generated from the second multiplier, and means for measuring
the time difference between the time sequence pattern of the
detected signal generated from the detecting means and the
:
time sequence pattern of the product value generated from the i~
f;rst mult;pl;er. -
In accordance with either of the first and second aspects
of the ;nvent;on, by v;rtue of the fact that the measured
t;me between a detected signal from a target to be detected
and a reference s;gnal ;s greatly expanded on a time~base by
the use of a method so des;gned that a f;rst pseudo random
s;gnal;s directLy transmitted to a target to be detected or ;;
a carrier wave phase modulated by the first pseudo random signal ~;
;s transm;tted to the target to be detected and a received signal
reflected from the target is subjected to a correlation process- ; ;
;ng by a second pseudo random s;gnal wh;ch ;s the same ;n pattern ~;
~` and close ;n frequency to the first pseudo random s;gnal, the ~;~
. .
measurement of t;me ;s made poss;ble directly by use of a low-
speed s;gnal. As a result, the need for the sampling device
requ;red ;n the convent;onal real time high-speed signal process- -
~ f:~ ~ ;ng ;s el;m;nated and the apparatus can be constructed w;th
; low-speed c;rcu;t elements with the result;ng effect of ~ ;
`~ reduc;ng the s;ze and cost of the apparatus.
Also, ;n the measurement of time proport;onal to the distance -
;j~ to be measured, the measurement is made in terms of a time
~; greatly expanded as compared w;th the real time so that not
- 12 - 1332~8
1 only the distance to a target can be measured accurately at
a short distance, but also the des;red reflected signal from
the intended target and the undesired signals from outside
the objective range can be clearly discriminated and separated
from each other on the time base for the generation of
detected signal. Thus, when measuring the level within a
furnace, even in such a measuring environment as the limited :
space in the furnace where undesired reflected waves tend to
occur, there is the effect of eliminating the undesired
reflected waves and stably measuring the level.
, "'.~
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional underwater
or under-ground searching radar system which transmits a pseudo
random signal.
; F;g. 2 is a block diagram of the correlator of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of
the invention.
Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the construction of the ?-bit
maximal length sequence signal generator of Fig. 3.
~ ~ Fig. 5 is an output waveform d;agram of the maximal length
; l l sequence s;gnal generator.
~ F;g. 6 shows a plural;ty of s;gnal wave forms useful
..
for explaining the operation of the embodiment of Fig. 3.
Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the
clock generator.
Fig. 8 ;s a block d;agram of the ;mage d;splay system used ~
. ~ :
: '
~:
- 13 ~ 1 3 3 ~
1 with the first embodiment.
Fig. 9 is an image display diagram of a detected signal ~;
according to the first embodiment.
Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment
¦ 5 of the invention.
¦ F;g. 11 shows a plurality of signal waveforms useful for
¦ explaining the operat;on of the second embodi'ment. ~ ;
¦ Fig. 1Z is a diagram showing the second embodiment
¦ incorporated in an apparatus for measuring the slag level
10 within a melting reduction furnace. ;~ .h
" ' ' " ' '
" ' . ~ .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EM80DIMENTS
While the present invention and the conventional techniques
; have a common feature with respect to the use of pseudo random ' '~
signals,the conventional techniques are methods of utilizing ~ ;
a single pseudo random signal to measure the real propagation
' time of an electromagnetic wave. On the contrary, the present ~ ~'
;nvention is directed to a method whereby, usin~ two ¦ ~;
pseudo random signals which are the same in pattern but 'sl;ghtly "~
different in frequency from each other, the correlation output
' between the two signals before the transmission and after
the reception is detected,thereby considerably expand;ng the '~
measured time as compared with the real time. Therefore, the '~
~;~ conventional technique will be explained first w;th a v;ew to
; . . .
I ~' 25 clar;fying the differences between the present invention a~d
1,.',~: :
the conventional techniques.
. ~
~}~
~ ', ~' '
- 14 - 133~8
1 Referring to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a block diagram
of a conventional underground or underwater searching radar
system which transmits a pseudo random signal. In Fig. 1,
numeral 1û7 designates a power amplifier, 108 a receiving
S amplifier, 1û9 a transmitting antenna, 110 a receiving antenna,
116 a target in the ground or in the water, 117 a maximal
length sequence signal generator, 118 a sampling device, 119
a correlator, and 120-1, 120-2 and 120-3 attenuators.
Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the correlator, wherein
numeral 121 designates a tapped delay line, 122 a polarity
converter, and 123 an adder.
The operation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2
will now be described. Firstly, a trigger signal is applied
at a given repetition frequency to the maximal length sequence
signal generator 117. The maximal length sequence signal
generator 117 is used as a pseudo random signal generating
means and its code has a given periodicity. Each time a trigger
signal is applied, the maximal length sequence signal generator
117 generates a maximal length sequence signal for one period.
The output signal of the maximal length sequence signal generator
117 is radiated as an electromagnetic wave into the ground
or water from the transmitting antenna 109 through the attenuator
,
120-1, the power amplifier 107 and the attenuator 120-2.
The radiated electromagnetic wave is reflected from the target
116 to be detected in the ground or water. The output sigrial
from the receiving antenna 110 is applied to the sampling
: . ' ' .
Z - 15 ~ I 3 3 2 ~Z8
1 device 118 through the receiving amplif;er 108 and the
¦ attenuator 120-3. The sampling device 118 has a function
¦ of converting a high~speed signal to a low-speed signal.
Assuming N received signals of the same waveform are obtained
in response to N trigger s;gnals, this received signal is
divided in time by N into signals X1, x2, .... xN. Thus,
only the signal x1 is sampled from the first recelved signal
and only the signal x2 is sampled from the second received
signal. Such sampling operation is repeated so that a single
1û received signal x1, x2, ....... xn is reproduced from N received ~-~
signals. In this way, the sampLing device 118 converts a
high-speed received signal to a low-speed received signal and
its output is supplied to the correlator 119. The correlator
119 has a function of determining a correlation between the
input signal and the preliminarily stored maximal length
sequence signal and Fig. 2 shows its detailed block diagram.
The input signal is introduced into the tapped delay line 121
and each signal corresponding to its delay time is outputted
from each of the taps. The output signals from the taps of
the tapped delay line 121 are applied to the polarity converter
122. In the polarity converter 122, the mark "+" indicates ~`
that no polarity conversion is effected and "-" indicates that ~
~ a polarity conversion is effected. The output signals are ~ -
;~ applied in parallel to the adder 123 which in turn adds the
parallel input signals to obtain the summation. As a result,
the received signal is compressed in time but increased in
,,
I amplitude and it is then output ' from the correlator 119.
~Z` ,:, ,
, \ ' ,~
- 16 - 13 3 2 ~ 3 g
1 In this technique, the use of a pseudo random signal has the
purpose of subjecting the received signal to pulse compression
and the measurement of distance is made in terms of the
propagation time required for the eLectromagnetic wave to travel
back and forth the distance between the transmitting and
receiving antennas and the target to be detected,
as in ordinary radar .
Next, the present invention will be described. A distance
measuring method according to the invention is a method
comprising setting a first pseudo random signal used for
transmission and reception from a target to be detected and
a second pseudo random signal which is used as a reference
signal and is the same in pattern but slightly different in
frequency from the first pseudo random signal, determining the
time of detection of the maximum correlation value between the
second pseudo random signal and the transmitted first `~
pseudo random signal and the time of detection of the maximum
correlat;on value between the second pseudo random signal and
the received first pseudo random signal and measuring the
interval of time between both of the maximum correlation value
. ' -
detection times, thereby measuring the time proportional to
the distance to the target to be detected. This measured
time is in the form of a greatly expanded time as compared with
the real time required for the propagation of the electro-
magnetic wave in the conventional method, thereby making p~ssible
the measurement of time directly by means of a low-speed signal.
A distancç measuring apparatus according to the first
. ~ .
; ~1'' '
~ ',
- 17 - 1 3 ~ ~ A ~
1 embodiment of the invention employs the above-mentioned
measuring method so that the sampling device heretofore required
for high-speed signal processing is no longer .
necessary and the apparatus is composed of low-speed circuit `~
5 elements. In addition, there is no need for the tapped delay ~ ;
line wh;ch causes a measuring error due to a wave-form
distortion.
Also, ~he apparatus according to the first embodiment ~;
includes, for the purpose of detecting the maximum correlation ;
10 values between the pseudo random signals, a pair of multipliers ~;
for detecting correlation values, means for generating respective pulses
when the output of each of the pair of multipliers attains
a maximum value, and means for measuring the time interval
between the generated two pulses, thereby making it possible
to make very accurate time measurement.
In this embodiment, each of the two pseudo signal generat-
ing means is composed of a clock synchronization-type pseudo ~
random generator and the two generators are identical in cons~ruction. ~:
except that their driving clock signal frequencies are
~-~20 slightly different from each other. Therefore, the two pseudo
random signal generating means can be reaLized by means o
: . . .; ~
clommon circuits.
The operation of the first embodiment can be formulated
as follows.
Assume that f1 represents the clock frequency of the first
~ pseudo random signal and f2 represents the clock frequency ~ -
-~ of the second pseudo random signal and that the patterns of , -~
' ';'."' ~'
' ~ ;"'.
- 18 - 1332~
1 these pseudo random signals are the same. Here, it is assumed
that f1> f2-
If TB represents the period at wh;ch a reference signalproduced by determining a correlation between the transmitted
first pseudo random signal and the second pseudo random signal
attains its maximum value, the difference between the wave
numbers of the first and second pseudo random signals which
are contained in the period TB corresponds to the wave
number N of one period.
In other words, TB-f1 TB 2
~ y simplifying the above equation, the period TB is given
as:
TB N~f1 f2~ ----.............................. (1)
In other words, the period TB at which the reference
signal attains the maximum value is increased with a decrease
in the difference between the two clock frequencies.
Then, if TD represents the time difference between the
2û time that the detected signal produced by determining the
; correlat;on between the signal resulting from the first pseudo ~ -
, l~ l random signal transmitted, reflected from a target to be detected ;
and received again after the expiration of a propagation time
and the second pseudo random signal and the time that the
reference signal attains the maximum value, the wave numbe~ of
~; the second pseudo random signal generated during the time
difference TD is smaller than the wave number of the first
`:
- 19 ~ 1332~
1 pseudo random signal generated dur;ng TD by the wave number . : ;
of the first pseudo random s;gnal generated dur;ng the t;me
and therefore the following equat;on holds~
D f2 TD 1
S .:
S;mpl;fy;ng the above equat;on, the t;me d;fference TD ;s
as follows:
T = ~ f1t( f1 f2~ ........................ (2)
D
: . ;:
In other words, the propagat;on t;me ~~ ;s expanded ;n
time by a factor of fl/(fl ~ f2) or it is measured in terms of the
low-speed TD. Due to th;s expans;on of the measured t;me,
the d;stance measur;ng method and apparatus accord;ng to the :~ ~
¦: ;nvent;on can be cons;dered essent;ally su;ted for short d;stance ~ :
¦~ 15 measur;ng purposes. ;
If v represents the propagat;on veloc;ty and x represents
the d;stance to a target to be detected, the propagat;on t;me ~ ~ .
is g;ven by the follow;ng~
s~
`~ ~ = 2x/v . ;~
....
: 20 ,. .:
; and therefore the follow;ng equat;on (3) ;s obta;ned f~om equa- ;~
t;on (2): :;
x = 1 2 . v.TD ........................ (3)
;': '. - .~ . ':
'!~ 25 ~y meas4r;ng the time difference TD, it is poss;ble to .
~ measure the d;stance x from equation (3). .~:
i" ~ ~: -
,,
I ~ 20 - 1332~
1 1 Referring now to the block d;agram of Fig. 3 showing the
¦ first embodiment of the invention, numerals 101 and 102
designate clock generators, 103 and 104 maximal length sequence
signal generators, 105 and 106 multipliers, 107 a power amplifier,
108 a receiving amplifier, 109 a transmitt;ng antenna, 110
a receiving antenna, 111 and 112 lo,w-pass filters, 113 and 114
maximum value detectors, 115 a time-interval meter, and 116
a target to bé detected.
~ Also, first pseudo random signal generating means is formedi 10 by the clock generator 101 and the maximal length sequence
signal generator 103.
The second pseudo random signal generating means is formed by
the clock generator 102 and the maximal length sequence s;gnal
generator 104.
The power amplifier 107 and the transm;tting antenna 109
form means for transmitting the output of the first pseudo random
s;gnal generating means to the target 116.
The receiving antenna 110 and the receiving amplifier 108
form means for receiving the reflected signal from the target
116 to obtain the received signal.
The time difference measuring means is formed by the low-pass
~ filters 111 and 112, the maximum value detectors 113 and 114
; and the time-interval meter 115.
`~ Referring to Fig. 4 showing the construction of a 7-bit
maximal length sequence signal generator, numeral 124 des;gnates
a shift register of a 7-stage configuration, and 125 an exclus;ve- -
OR circuit.
- 2~ 3 3 2 ~
Fig. S is a diagram at the output waveform of the
maximal length sequence signal generator.
Fig. 6 shows a plurality of waveforms useful for explaining -~
the operation of the embodiment of Fig. 3.
S The operation of the embodiment:of Fig. 3 will now be described with
reference to Figs. 4 to 6. The clock generator 101 generates
a clock signal of a frequency f1 and the clock generator 102
generates a clock signal of a frequency f2. One feature of
this invention resides in that the difference between ,~
frequency fl of the first clock signal and frequency `
f2 of the second clock signal is '~
very small. A description will now be made of a case ;n which
f1 = 100.004 MHz, f2 = 99.996 MHz and the difference f1-f2 =
8 KHz. The clock signals of frequency f1 generated from
the clock generator 101 are applied as the synchronizing signals
to generate the maximal length sequence signal to the maximal
length sequence signal generator 103, and the clock signals of
the frequency f2 generated from the clock generator 102 are
` similarly applied to the maximal length sequence signal generator104. The maximal length sequence signal generators 103 and
104 are used as one form of the pseudo random signal generating
means and Baker code generators may~for example,be used in place
of the maximal sequence length signal generators. In the case
of this embodiment, a 7-bit maximal length sequence code is
25 used andits structure is shown in Fig. 4. -
In other words, the shift register 124 composed of seven
flip-flops synchronized with clock signals is provided so that
- 22 - ~ 332~
1 the output signals of the sixth-stage and seventh-stage flip-
flops are applied to the first-stage flip-flop through the
exclusive-OR c;rcuit 125 and the clock signals which are not
shown are supplied to the respective flip-flop stages, thereby
generating an output signal from the seventh-stage flip-flop
to generate a maximal length sequence code synchronized with
the clock signals. The thus generated maximal length sequence
code is a Periodic recurrent code composed of a combination
of bi~s "1" and "O" or "+" and (-), and in this embodiment
the bitg "1" and "û" respectively generate positive-voltage
(+E) and negative-voltage (-E) signals as shown in Fig. 5.
As regards the period ofthe maximal length sequence signal
wh;ch is generated recurrently, since the signal comprises
7 bits, one period is completed upon the generation of
N = 27-1 = 127 signals. Then, the same signals as the preceding
period are generated starting at the next or 128th signal and
this period recurs repeatedly.` Generally, ~hile
the maximal length sequence signal is a random signal when
considered partially, it is used as a signal utilizing the
autocorrelation function and the s;gnal ;s used ;n a pulse
compression radar in the description of the conventional
apparatus.
The max;mal length sequence signal generators 103 and 104
-; ,
are composed of the identical circuits for generating the
same 7-bit maximal length sequence signals and the only
~ difference is that the frequencies f1 and f2 of the inputted
Y`~ clock signals are slightly different from each other.
~? ~
_ 23 I 3 3 2 ~
1 In addition, a shift register having a clock frequency of
about 100 MHz can,for example,be realized easily with ECL
(emitter coupled log;c) elements. Each of the maximal length
sequence signal generators 103 and 104 recurrently outputs ;
a maximal length sequence signal M1 or M2 composed of 127
voltages +E and -E for each period. However, since the
frequencies of the input clock signals differ slightly from
each other, respective lengths of the periods differ slightly between , ~:-
. -- .: .,
the maximal length sequence signals M1 and M2. The periods ;;-
. :. .
10 of the maximal length sequence s;gnals M1 and M2 can be ~ -;
determ;ned as follows: the per;od of M1 = 127 x 1/1-00.004 MHz ~-
. 1269.949Z ns and the period of M2 = 127 x 1/99.996 MHz
1270.0508 ns. In other words, wh;le the periods of the maximal
length sequence signals M1 and M2 are about 1270 ns (10 9seconds),
there is the time difference of about 0.1 ns between the two
periods. Thus, ;f the max;mal length sequence s;gnals M1 and
M2 are recurrently generated so that the patterns of the two `
signals M1 and M2 coinc;de at a certa;n t;me ta, a dev;ation
of 0.1 ns is caused between the two signals after the expiration
2û of the time of one per;od and a deviat;on of 10 ns ;s caused
between the two s;gnals after the expiration of 10û periods.
Since the maximal length sequence signal generates 127 signals
I ~ ! ! .
for one period of 1270 ns and thus the durat;on t;me of one
~; s;gnal ;s 10 ns. Thus, the occurrence of a deviation of 10 ns
; 25 between the max;mal length sequence s;gnals M1 and M2 means
¦~ the occurrence of a dev;ation correspond;ng to one maximal
-; length sequence signal. These timings are shown in F;g. 6.
1332~
-- 24
More specificallY, Fig. 6(a) shows that the output of
the reference maximal length sequence signal generator 104
for one period incLudes 127 signals and its per;od is 1270 ns,
and Fig. ~(b) sho~s the output M2 of the maximal length sequence
5 signal generator 104 is recurrently generated from the -lOOth to
300th periods. Also, Fig. 6(c) shows that the output Ml from the
maximal length sequence s;gnal ger,erator 103 ;s short by 0.1
ns for one per;od and 10 ns for 100 periods as compared with
the output M2 from the maximal length sequence s;gnal generator
10 104 and that at the time ta the max;mal length sequence
s;gnals M1 and M2 come ;nto synchronization,thus causing the
patterns of the two signals to coincide. Also, after the
patterns of the maximal length sequence signals M1 and M2 ~
have coincided at time tà, the deviation is again increased -
gradually so that the patterns of the two signals coincide
again at the expiration of a g;ven time TB. When the maximal
length sequence s;gnals M1 and M2 come ;nto synchron;sm so
that the patterns of the two signals co;nc;de, the correlation
output of the two signals becomes maximum and the calculat;on
of this correlat;on ;s performed by the multipl;er 105, which
w;ll be descr;bed later. Also, in the case of th;s embod;ment,
the per;od TB during which the maximum correlation output ;s
obta;ned can be computed as TB = 15.875 ms by substituting the
wave number N = 127 for one per;od of the maximal length
sequence signals, the frequency f1 = 100.004 MHz and f2 = ~;
99.996 M~lz into equation (1). ; I
The maximal length sequence signals M1 and M2 respect;vely
~ ~'
:: ~
i332~
- 25 -
1 generated from the maximal length sequence signal generators ~
103 and 104 are each branched in two so that one signal is - -
applied to the multiplier 105. The multipliers 105 and 106
are each composed,for example,of a wide-band double balanced
mixer ~DBM) and the multiplication for determining the correla- ~ ;
tion output of the two maximal length sequence signals is
performed. The maximal length sequence signal comprises ~
positive or negative voltage signals as mentioned previously ~ ;
so that the multiplication result of the same signs results
in a positive voltage and the multiplication result of the
different signs results in a negative voltage, thereby generat-
ing positive or negative voltage signals at the output of
the multipliers 105 and 106, respectively. Thus, the output
signal of the multiplier 105 consists of a dc positive voltage ~ -
or a pulse of positive voltage at around the time ta at which ;
the patterns of the maximal length sequence signals M1 and
M co;ncide. However, the per;ods of the max;mal length
sequence signals M1 and M2 d;ffer sl;ghtly so that a deviation
of 0.1 ns occurs between the two signals each time
one period expires. Thus, at the expiration of 100 periods
from the time t , there is a deviation of 10 ns or a deviation
corresponding to one signal interval between the maximal length
sequence signals M1 and M2. In this condition, there is no
longer any correlation between the signals and a train of
positive and negative pulse signals i8 randomly generated
at the output of the multiplier 105. This output waveform of
the multiplier 105 is shown in Fig. 6(e). The output signal
: ' . .
'~ ' ' '
'
- 26 - 1332~
1 of the multiplier 105 is supplied to the low-pass filter 111
which in turn converts the signal to a DC voltage. Each of
the low-pass filters 111 and 112 has a cutoff frequency fc
and it serves the funct;on of attenuating the input components
which are higher frequency components than the cutoff frequency
f and smooth;ng the input signal. The output signal of the
low-pass filter 111 attains the maximum value at the time
t at which the patterns of the maximal length sequence signals
M1 and M2 coincide and it attains the minimum value at the-time
at which the max;mal length sequence signal M2 is shifted
from the time t by about 100 periods, that is, at times of
ta + 127 ~s. Then, the output signal of the low pass filter
111 takes the form of a triangular voltage signal which linearly
decreases from the maximum value or the apex to the minimum
value on both sides. This output waveform of the low-pass
filter 111 is shown in Fig. 6(f). Also, as mentioned
` previously, this triangular voltage signal is generated at
,..... ,.~:, , ~
the period TB = 15.875 ms at which period the two maximal
length sequence signals come into synchronization. The output - ~;
signal from the low-pass filter 111 is applied to the maximum
value detector 113. Each of the maximum value detectors 113
,:
and 114 has a function of detecting the maximum value of the
triangular voltage signal applied from the low-pass filter
113 or 114 or the voltage at the apex of the triangle and
,~ 25 generating a single pulse signal at the time of detection
of the maximum voltage value. The method of detecting the ;
time of generation of the maximum voltage may for example
- 27 _ ~332
1 be one comprising the steps of providing an A/D converter and a digital . -
data comparator, successiveLy converting an input triangular
analog signal by high-speed sampling signals, comparing at
all times the digital data obtained by the preceding sampling
signal and the digital data obtained by the current sampling
signal as to relative magnitude using the digital data comparator
and detecting the time of change of the input signal from
the increase to the decrease with respect to time. The same
function can be realized by successively comparing the similarly
10 sampled analog signals. Where there .~ . .
is the danger of small peaks appearing due to noise or the
like, it suffices to establish a threshold value so that
the detection of the peak value is performéd only on those signals
exceeding the threshold value. The maximum value detector
113 supplies a pulse output as a start signal for time measure-
ment to the time-interval meter 115 at the maximum value
detecting time t of the input signal. When the start signal
for time measurement or a reference time is applied from the ;
maximum value detector 113, the time-interval meter 115 starts
2û the measurement of time. This condition is shown in
Figs. 6(i) and (k). Of the max;mal length sequence signal M1
generated from the maximal length sequence signal generator 103
and then branched off in two, the other maximal length sequence signal
M1 is applied to the power amplifier 107 so that the output
power is amplified,for example,to about 20 mW. The maximal
length sequence output s;gnal from the power ampl;fier 107
is supplied to the transmitting antenna 109. The transmitting
~fj`
"~
`i ~
~ 28 _ 133~g
1 antenna 109 radiates the electromagnetic wave of the max;mal
length sequence signal into a propagation medium. The radiated
electromagnetic wave is reflected by the target 116 whose
conductivity or dielectric constant is different from the
value of the propagation medium and it is then detected by
the receiving antenna 110. The reflected signal thus detected
by the receiving antenna 110 is applied to the receiving
amplifier 108 so that the amplification and waveform reshaping
of the signal are performed. The output signal M1' of the
receiving amplifier 108 is the same as the signal delayed
by the propagation time of the maximal length sequence signal
M1 radiated as an electromagnetic wave from the transmitting
antenna 109, going back and forth the distance to the target
116 and then reaching the receiving antenna 110. ;~-
Strictly speaking, while fixed delay times are involved
in the power ampl;fier 107, the signal amplifier 108, etc.,
these fixed delay times can be eliminated from the measurement ;~
point of view by,for example, eliminating th~m ;~
at the stage of the processing for measurement
2û or by supplying the output signal M1 from the maximal
length sequence signal generator 103 through a delay circuit
having an equal delay time. In this way, the maximal length 1
sequence signal M1' having a delay time proportional to
the distance from the transmitting and receiving antennas
:~ 25 109 and i10 to the target 116, is generated from the rece;ving ~ -
~ amplifier 108 and supplied to one input of the multiplier 106.
~'" ' '; ~:
~ q;~
. ~ .
- 29 - I 3 3 2 ~ ~ ~
1 Assume that the target 116 is present ;n the air at a distance
of 3 meters from the transmitting and receiving antennas 109
and 110, respect;vely. Since the electromagnet;c wave required
20 ns to propagate in the air and go back and forth the d;stance
of 3 meters, the maximal length sequence signal M1' generated
from the receiving amplifier 108 is delayed by 2û ns from
the maximal length sequence signal M1 generated from the
maximal length sequence signal generator 1û3. This condition
;s shown in Fig. 6(d) Also, of the maximal length sequence
1û signal M2 generated from the maximal length sequence signal
generator 104 and branched off in two, the other maximal length
sequence signal M2 is supplied to the other input of the
multiplier 1û6. In like manner- as in the multiplier 105,
the multipl;cation of the maximal length sequence signals
M1' and M2 is performed. The multiplier 106 supplies the
multiplication result of the maximal length sequence signals
M1' and M2 to the low-pass filter 112. The low-pass filter 112
generates a triangular voltage signal whose apex corresponds
to the time at which the patterns of the two s;gnals M1' and
~` 20 M1 coincide and this voltage signal is supplied to the maximum
value detector 114. The foregoing operation is identical
with the operation described in connection with the mult;pl;er
~ ' I;' ' I ~
105 and the low-pass filter 111. The only d;fference is the
t;me instant at which the patterns of the maximal length sequence
signals M1' and M2 coincide. Since the maximal length sequence
signal M1' is delayed by 20 ns from the maximal length sequence
signal M1 and since the period of the maximal length séquence
,~
,.
_ 30 ~ 1332~
1 signal M1' is shorter, the patterns of the two signals M1'
and M1 coincide at a time tb which is delayed from the time
t a by 200 periods of the maximal length sequence signal M2.
Since one period of the maximal length sequence signal M2 is
1.27/~s, 200 periods amounts to 1.27~5 x 200 = 254/~s
and the time t lag3 the time t by .
b ~ a .
254 ~us. The maximum value detector 114 generates a pulse
output when detecting the maximum value of the applied triangular
voltage and of course this pulse output is generated at the
time tb. The operation of maximum value detector 114
;s the same as that of maximum value detector .-
~113 and at th;s t;me the generated pulse output is supplied
as a stop signal for t;me measurment to the time-interval
meter 115. The time-interval meter 115 measures the time
15 interval between thè time t at which the start signal for ~
t;me measurement ;s appl;ed and the t;me tb at which the stop ~ ; ;
signal for time measurement is applied. In this embo~iment,
254~s is obtained as the result ;
of the measurement. The t;me measuring method may,for example,
20 be an ord;nary method of prov;d;ng a time gate from the measure- -
ment starting t;me to the stop t;me and count;ng the number
; of clock s;gnals dur;ng the t;me gate. The t;me measlured
by the t;me interval meter 115 is proportional to the distance ;~
from the transm;tt;ng and receiving antennas of the present
apparatus to the target. In other words,
~ 254 ~s corresponds to a distance of 3 meters
; and 2540 ~s corresponds to a distance of 30 meters. Thus, ;
:~ .
13 3 2 ~
1 by measuring such time, it is possible to measure the distarice
to a target to be detected. In addition, the present invention
greatly differs from the ordinary radar system in that the
time proportional to the distance is considerably expanded.
In other words, to measure a distance of 3 meters by
ordinary radar is to measure la time span of 20 ns (20 x 10
seconds). In accordance with the invention, however, to measure
a distance. of 3, meters is to measure a time span of 254 lls (254 x 10 : :
seconds). The expansion ratio of the measured tiMe is computed
by substituting the frequencies f1 = 100.004 MHz and f2 = 99.996
MHz into equation (2) to obtain :
the following
TD = 12,500 ~ ................................... (4)
15 In other words, the time is expanded by a factor of 12,500 on the .
time base and it is only necessary to measure a very low speed
signal. Therefore, the radar system according to the invention
~i has great features in that the accuracy of short distance
measurement is improved and the apparatus can be easily
20 constructed w;th inexpensive low-speed element. The time :
measurement by the time-interval meter 115 is performed in
response to the appLication of each time measurement start
i ' j~, 1. I .
signal of a period of 15.875 ms..~
Thus, if the target is moved, a change in the distance from
the transmitting and receiving antennas to the target can
be detected at intervals of 15.875 ms. Also, with the t;me
measurement accord;ng to the embodiment, 15.875 ms corresponds
1 `
3Z - 133~
1 to distance of about 188 meters. While the maximum detecting
distance of 188 meters is sufficient in such applications `
as the ordinary underground search, by su;tably selecting
the clock frequencies f1 and f2, it ;s possible to change ~
5 the expans;on ratio on the time base and the maximum detecting ~ ~;
distance. ~`
Fi~. 7 sho~-s a block
diagram for an embodiment of the clock generator
wherein numeral 126 designates a crystal oscillator having
a frequency of 3 MHz, 127-1, 121-2 and 127-3 designate mixers each adapted ,~
to mix two signals of frequencies fA and fB to generate a
s;gnal of a sum frequency fA + f~ and a signal of a d;fference `
frequency fA ~ fB~ 128-1 designates an oscillator having a frequency
of 4 KHz, 128-2 designates an oscillator having a frequency of 97 MHz,
and 129-1, 129-2, 129-3 and 129-4 designate band-pass filters respectively
hav;ng selected pass frequenc;es of 3.û04 MHz, 2.996 MHz,
100.004 MHz and 99.996 MHz.
The operat;on of the clock generator of F;g. 7 will now
be described. The crystal osc;llator 126 generates a 3 MHz
s;gnal and the osc;llator 128-1 generates a 4 KHz s;gnal.
~ These s;gnals are m;xed by the m;xer 127-1 compr;sing for
;~ exalmple,a balanced modulator,thereby generat;ng two s;gnals
of 3.004 MHz and 2.996 MHz, respectively. Of the output signals from the
~;~ mixer 127-1, the 3.004 MHz signal is supplied to the mixer
1Z7-2 through the band-pass filter 129-1 and the 2.996 MHz
signal is suppl;ed to the m;xer 127-3 via the band-pass filter ` `
~ ~ :
129-2. The m;xer 127-2 m;xes the 3.004 MHz s;gnal and the
97 MHzs;gnal suppl;ed from the osc;llator 128-2 to generate
r~ `
'~ ' '" ', . ~ .
- 33 ~ I332~g
their sum and difference signals, of which the sum signal
or 100.004 MHz signal is passed through the band-pass filter
129-3 and generated as a clock frequency f1. Similarly,
the mixer 127-3 mixes the 2.996 MHz signal and the 97 MHz
5 signal supplied from the oscillator 128-2 to generate its
outputs, of which the sum signal or,99.996 MHz signal is passed
through the band-pass filter 129-4 and generated as a clock
frequency f2. By virtue of this construction, the difference
between the clock frequencies f1 and f2 is accurately maintained
10 at 8 KHZ. In accordance with the invention, the two clock
frequencies f1 and f2 are used to generate two pseudo random
signals and the measurement is made by utilizing the difference
in period between the pseudo random signals. Therefore,
it is important to accurately maintain the difference between
15 the clock frequencies for the improvement of the measuring
accuracy. As a result, a clock signal generator capable of
maintaining this frequency difference constant may be constructed
using a PLL (phase-locked loop). .~
. .................................... :
Fig . 8 shows a bl ock
20 diagram of an image display apparatus for displaying a detected
signal according to the invention in the form of an image.
Fig, ~, numerals 105, 106, 111 and 112 designate the
same component parts as shown in Fig. 1. Numeral 130 designates
the image display apparatus incorporating an image converter
131 and a display unit 132. The image converter 131 uses
; the output signal from the low-pass filter 111 as a reference
signal for distance measurement and the output signal from
r~
,' .
~ _ 34 - 133~
1 the low-pass filter112 as a detected signal. Using the t;me
interval between the reference signal and the detected signal
as the position information of the corresponding distance,
the detected s;gnal is displayed as a dark or light image
signal in accordance with the received intensity. If the
transm;tting and receiving antennas are moved, in response ~l
to the distance moved the scanning start;ng pos;t;on ;s moved
on the CRT d;splay~ In th;s respect, the apparatus features
that the detected signal is suffic;ently low ;n speed and
it can be directly supplied to the image converter without passing
through any sampl;ng device as in the conventional case.
Fig. 9 shows an example o the display
by image according to the invention of a detected signal
of an underground object, e.g., a plastic pipe at a depth ~ ;
of 3 meters. In Fig. g, the abscissa represents the
moving distance of the transmitting and receiv;ng antennas
moved in a direction crossing the pipe and the ordinate
represents the detecting distance. Also, the intensity of
a detected signal is displayed in terms of the degree of
;~ 20 light or shade. The upper part of a semi~
~ circular waveform display opening downward indicates the
., : .
detected p;pe. This image of the semi-circular shape is
due to the insufficient d;rect;vit;es of the transmitting ~ -
and rece;ving antennas and th;s g;ves rise to no problem
from the pract;cal pipe detection point of view. Also, where
the reflected wave from the ground surface is strong and
:. . .
,
'"
, .
~s~
_ 35 _ i33~
1 the reflected wave from the target to be detected is weak,
the method of separately moving the transmitting antenna
and the receiving antenna to reduce the reflection from the
ground surface is effective. The present invention is also
available for underground survey such as geo-tomagraphy
using bore-hole antennas which operate in two holes each
and detect transmitted electromagnetic waves through the
ground in addition to the reflected waves in the ground.
While the embodiment of the invention as applied to
the underground or underwater searching radar has been des-
cribed, the present invention is also applicable to
distance measurement by 2 TDR (time domain reflector). ~
The TDR is generally used for the purpose of ;
detecting the faulty location of an electric wire or the
like and an electric pulse in the form of a monopulse or
step-formed pulse is input to I one end of an electric wire.
~ Thus, the electric pulse propagates and travels through the
; line so that it is returned to the signal input end by being
reflected from the location of the changed characteristic
impedance due to,for example,the disconnection or the short-
circuit;ng of the line. The location of the changed
,characteristic impedance is detected in accordance with the
time interval between the time of application of the electric
pulse and the time of detection of the reflected signal and
the propagation velocity of the entered electric signal in
the line. Also, the TDR can be used for the detection of
~ 't~' r~
.
- 36 - 1 3 3 2 ~
1 a fault point ;n an optical fiber by the use of a light pulse
according to the same principle.
By applying the pseudo random signals according to the
invention instead of applying the electric pulse signal to
the TDR, the changed point of the characteristic impedance
can be similarly detected in accordance with the time interval -;-
between the detection time of the start signal for time measurement . :
and the time that the maximum correlation output between ~`~
the reflected pseudo random signal and the reference pseudo
random signal is obtained and the propagation velocity of
the entered electric s;gnal in the line. This method has
a feature that even if any noise enters the reflected wave, ;
the correlator is not caused to operate erroneously due to ~ -
the noise, thereby ensuring stable measurement. -
The distance measuring method and apparatus according -
to the second embodiment differ pr;ncipally from the distance
measuring method and apparatus according to the first embod;-
ment in that ;nstead of directly transm;tt;ng a f;rst pseudo
~ random s;gnal, a spectrum spread s;gnal obtained by phase
:~ ~ 20 modulat;ng a carr;er wave (e.g., an X-band wave having a
; frequency of about 10 GHz) by the first pseudo random signal
is transmitted to a target to be detected and that after ~;
the processing of the correlation between the received wave `b
,: , .
and a second pseudo random signal, the received wave is
,. -::;, ., .
subjected to coherent detection by coherent detecting means.
The ethod of employing such a carrier wave has the purpose `~-
`~ ': ~,'
s~
. '` 1332~
- 37
1 of meeting the object of the second embodiment, that is,
to adapt it to a measuring method in which an electromagnetic
wave is propagated in the air to measure the slag level or
molten metal level in a melting reduction furnace, converter
S or the like.
In accordance w;th the distance measuring method and
apparatus of the second embodiment, a first pseudo random
signal and a second pseudo random signal which is identical
in pattern but slightly different in frequency from the first
pseudo random signal are respectively generated from first
and second pseudo random signal generating means and, after
the phase modulation of a carrier wave by the first pseudo
random signal, the resulting spectrum spread signal is trans-
mitted by transmitting means toward a target to be detected.
A second multiplier performs the multiplication of a
received signal obtained by receiving the reflected wave from
the target by receiving means and the second pseudo random
.
s;gnal. When the received s;gnal phase modulated by
;~ the f;rst pseudo random s;gnal and the second
pseudo random signal are in phrase, the multiplication result obtained
as an output of the second multiplier is the in-phase carrier
L
wave and it is subjected to synchronization detection by
the following coherent detecting means. This detected output
-~ is generated as a pulse-like target detection signal through ~;
detection s1gnal generating means comprising a pair of low-
pass filters, a pair of squaring devices and an adder.
,
æ-
- 3~ ~ 13~
1 However, while the first and second pseudo random signals
are codes of the same pattern, the signal generating means
are slightly different in frequency with the result that
starting at the time that the two signals are in phase (that
is, the correlation output between the two signals reaches
a maximum), the two signals go out,of phase with the passage
of time so that there is no longer any correlation between
the two pseudo random signals when the phase deviation becomes
greater than one code. In this condition, the phase of the
carrier wave obtained as the result of the multiplication of
the received signal and the second pseudo random signal becomes ~`
random and the frequency band of the carrier wave is limited
by the low-pass f;lter through which it passes after the
synchronizatiDn detection by the coherent detect;ng means.
Thus, no target detection signal is generated. ~ ;
Then, as time passes further so that the phase
deviation between the first and second pseudo random signals
` amounts to just one period of one of the pseudo random signals, ;
: . . ~ -.
the ;n-phase cond;tion is again attained and the correlation - ~
.,
Z output of the two signals reaches a max;mum, thereby generating -
again a pulse-like target detection s;gnal through the coherent
;~ l dletect;ng means and the detection signal generating means.
As a result, this phenomenon is repeated at intervals of a .
given time and a period;c pulse-l;ke s;gnal is generated
,
as a detected target s;gnal.
On the other hand, ;t ;s necessary to establ;sh a refer-
~ .
ence time for measuring the time interval between the
. .
_ 39 - ~332~
1 reference time and the time of detection of a target
detection signal from the received signal. This time
reference signal is generated as a pulse-like signal of the
same period as the target detection signal by directly multiply-
ing the first and second pseudo random signals by a firstmultiplier and extracting the result of the multiplication
or the time sequence pattern through a low-pass filter.
Therefore, since the time interval between the time
of generation of the time reference signal and the time of
generation of the target detection signal derived from the
received signal represents an expanded value of the propagation
time of the electromagnetic wave to go back and forth between
the transmitting and receiving antennas and the target, the
time interval between the two signals is converted into the
distance between the transmitting and receiving antennas
and the target.
The theoretic expressions of the first embodiment can
be used as such as the theoretic expressions relating to
the operating times of the second embodiment. The reason
;s that the second embodiment operates in time at the same
times as the f;rst embodiment excepting that in the second
embodiment the signal -of the modulated carr;er wave is
; transmitted and the received signal is subjected to aoherent
detection after the correlation calculation. In other words,
it ;s posslble to apply equation (1) to a period TB at which
a reference signal is generated, equation (2) to a measured -
~ 3 3 ~
1 t;me TD and equation (3) to the calculation of the distance
x to a target to be detected.
In the distance measuring apparatus according to the
second embodiment, the coherent detecting means of the carrier
wave performs the operation of extracting a part of the output
of transmitting carrier wave generating means by a first
distributor, converting the extracted output into an in-
phase component I and a quadrature component Q, dividing ~: `
the carrier wave generated from the second multiplier into
signals R1 and R2 through a second distributor, and generating
as orthogonal detection signals a product I-R1
: by a third multiplier and
a product Q'R2
by a fourth multiplier~ :
In the distance measuring apparatus according to the ~:
second embodiment, a time difference measuring means for the ;~
time sequence pattern of the product by the first multiplier .
and the time sequence patterns of the orthogonal detection
signals is designed so that a time-interval timer measures ~ `
~ 20 the ;nterval of time between the time of generation of the
; maximum value of a pulse-like reference signal obtained by
subjecting the output of the first multiplier to band :~
: limitation by the first low-pass filter and the time of
generation of the maximum value of a pulse-like detection
: 25 signal obtained by subjecting the products I-R1 and Q-R2 :
of the third and fourth multipliers to band limitation by
. . .
_ 41 - 1332~8
1 the second and third low-pass filters, squaring the resulting
signals by a pair of squaring devices and obtaining the sum
of the resulting squared values by an adder.
The distance measuring apparatus according to the second
embodiment is used ;n such a manner that after the apparatus
has been arranged on a melting reduction furnace, converter
or blast furnace, the transmitting and receiving antennas
are inserted into the furnace through waveguides and the
transmission and reception of an electromagnetic wave are
effected, thereby effecting the measurement of such level
as the sLag level, molten steel level or charged raw material
level.
Referring to the block diagram of Fig. 10 showing an
example of the distance measuring apparatus according to
the second embodiment, numerals 2û1 and 202 designate clock
generators, 203 and 204 pseudo random signal generators,
and 205 to 209 multipl;ers each composed,for example,of a
doubLe balanced mixer. Numerals 210 to 212 designate low-
pass filters, 213 and 214 distributors, 215 and 216 squar;ng
devices, 217 an adder, 218 a time-interval meter, 219 a carrier
- oscillator, 220 a hybrid coupler, 221 a transmitter, 222 a
, ~ receiver, 223 a transmitting antenna, 224 a receiving antenna,
and 225 a target.
~- Fig.11 shows a plurality of signal waveforms useful ;~
~h 25 for explaining the operation of the apparatus shown in Fig.10.
!~
~ . . .
~ ... ~. .
1 ~h3e'~a~;~a~l length
sequence signal generators 103 and 104 of Fig. 3 can be used ,;
as such for the pseudo random signal generators 203 and 2û4, ;
respectively. Thus, in the description of Fig. 10, the
pseudo random signal generators 203 and 2û4 will be explained
as adapted to respectively generate 7-bit maximal length
sequence signals M1 and Mz. However, in addition to the
maximal length sequence signals, Gold-sequence signals, JPL~ ;
sequence signals or the like may be used as the pseudo random ; `
s;gnals. While, like the clock generators 101 and 102 ~;
of Fig. 3, the clock generators 201 and 202 each incorporate ;
a crystal oscillator to generate clock signals of a sufficiently
stable frequency, their generated frequencies are sl;ghtly
different from each other. Thus, even in the case of Fig.10,
it is assumed that the generated frequencies f1 of the clock
generator 201 is 100.004 MHz and the generated frequency f2
~ of the clock generator 202 ;s 99.996 MHz and that the frequency
i~ difference is f1 ~ f2 = 8 KHz- The clock signals f1 and f2 ;;
~ of the clock generators 2û1 and 202 are respectively supplied
I 20 to the pseudo random signal generators 203 and 204. While
",~
there is a slight difference in the length of one period;~
` between the pseudo random signal generators 203 and 204 due
.~
to the frequency difference between their driving clock signals,
,. ~ - , .
they respectively generate max;mal length sequence signals
M1 and M2 of the same pattern. The output M1 of the pseudo
random signal generator 203 is applied to the multipliers 205
: , : '~
~: r~ .,.: '
Ji~
1 3 3 ~
1 and 206 and the output M2 of the pseudo random signal
generator 204 ;s appl;ed to the mult;pl;ers 205 and 207.
The carr;e. osc;llator 219 generates, for example,a
m;crowave hav;ng a frequency of about 10 GHz and ;ts output
5 s;gnal ;s d;str;buted by the d;str;butor 213 so as to be
suppl;ed to the multiplier 206 and the hybrid coupler 220.
The mult;pl;er 206 ;s composed,for example,of a double balanced
m;xer wh;ch . mult;pl;es the carr;er wave
having a frequency of about 10 GHz appl;ed from the d;str;butor
10 213 and the max;mal length sequence signal M1 applied from
the pseudo random signal generator 203 so that a spectrum
spread signal result;ng from phase modulat;on of the carr;er
wave ;s generated and suppl;ed to the transm;tter 221. The
transm;tter 221 power ampl;f;es the appl;ed spectrum spread
15 signal, converts and radiates it as an electromagnetic wave
to the target 225 through the transm;tting antenna 223.
It is to be noted that an electromagnetic wave of ! fre- ~:
quency 10 GHz has a wavelength of 3 cm in the air and it ;s
suff;ciently large as comparecd with the size (diameter) of
20 dust within a steelmaking furnace, for example, thereby
tending to be not easily affected by the dust, etc. Also, ..
~, the transmitting antenna 223 and the rece;v;ng anten~na 224
~; are each composed,for example?of a horn antenna and ;ts ;
directivity is sharply confined so as to reduce as far as .
possible the reflected power from other than the target to -~
;.-: ..~ be measured. Then, the antenna gain is selected,for example,
`~ to be about 20 dB for each of these antennas. The electromagnetic .
,~
;. ~
_ 44 _ 133~8 ~
1 wave radiated toward the target 2Z5 from the transmitting
antenna 223 is reflected by the target 225, converted to
an electric signal through the receiving antenna 224 and
applied to the rece;ver 222. The timing of supplying the
input signal to the receiver 222 is of course delayed from
the timing of the radiation of the electromagnetic wave
from the transmitting antenna 233 by the time
required by the electromagnetic wave to propagate back and
forth the distance to the target 225 and reach the receiving
antenna 224. The receiver 222 amplifies the input signal
and then supplies it to the multiplier 207. -
On the other hand, the maximal length sequence signals ;
¦ M1 and M2 respectively applied from tbe pseudo random signal
generators 203 and 204 to the multiplier 205 are multiplied
and the time sequence signal of the resulting product is
supplied to the low-pass filter 21û.
~;~ U(a) depicts the waveform showing the input signal to the low-pass ;
filter 210, e.g., the time sequence signal or the product
of the multiplier 205, and the waveform shows that an output
2û voltage of +E is generated continuously while the two pseudo ` ~;
random signals are in phase and output voltages of +E and
-E are generated randomly while the two signals are out of
phase. Each of the low-pass filters 210 to 212 performs
a frequency band limiting operation and hence a sort of inte-
~- 25 grating function, so that a pulse-like signal such as shown
in ~ig. 11 (b) is generated as an integrated signal of
the processed correlation value between the two signals while
v ;; ~ . .
~' ' , ~,
,,~ , ~. .
-
- 45 ~ 1332~8
1 the two signals are in phase. On the contrary, the output
of the low-pass filter is reduced to zero while the two
signals are out of phase. Thus, a pulse-like signal is
generated periodically at the output of the low-pass filter
210. This pulse-like signal is supplied as a time reference
signal to the time-interval meter 218. The period TB of
this reference signal can be computed from
equation (1) as TB= 15.875 mS since, in this
embodiment, the wave number of one period of the maximal
1û length sequence s;gnals is N = 127 and the frequencies are
f1 = 100.004 MHz and f2 = 99.996 MHz, the same as in the
case of Fig. 3. This reference signal and its period T~
are shown in Fig. ll(d).
Also, the received signal from the receiver 222 and
the maximal length sequence signal M2 from the pseudo random
signal generator 204 are applied to the multiplier 207 to ~
mult;ply the two s;gnals. The out~ut of the : :
multipl;er 207 ;s the ;n-phase carr;er s;gnal
wh;Le the rece;ved signal of the
transmitting carrier wave which was phase modulated by the
first maximal length sequence signal M1
and the second maximal length sequence gignal M~, are in phase whereas : ;
;t ;s the carrier wave of a random phase wh;le
the the rece;ved s;gnal `-
`~ 25 and the maximal length sequence signal M , are out of phase and
the carr;er wave is suppl;ed to the d;stributor 214. The
d;str;butor 214 d;stributes the ;nput s;gnal ;n two so that
_ 46 - 1332~
1 its distributed outputs R1 and R2 are respectively supplied
to the multipliers 208 and 209. The hybrid coupler 22û,
which is supplied w;th a part of the transmitting carrier
wave from the distributor 213, generates a s;gnal I of the
in-phase component (phase zero) and a signal Q of the quad-
rature component (phase quadrature) with respect
to the input signal and the signals are respectively supplied
to multipliers 208 and 209. ~The multiplier 208 multiplies
the signal I appl;ed from the hybr;d coupler 220 (;.e., the
signal wh;ch is ;n phase w;th the output of the carr;er
oscillator 219) and the signal R1 applied from the d;str;butor
214 and s;m;larly mult;plier 209 multipl;es the ;nput
signals a (i.e., the signal having a 90-degree phase difference
with the output of the carr;er oscillator 219) and R2, thereby
respectively extracting the in-phase component (I R1) and
the phase quadrature component (Q R2) of the received signal
and generating them as orthogonal detection signals. The
orthogonal detection signals ~ I R1 and Q R2
are respectively supplied to the low-pass filters 211 and
212 performing band limitation of the same frequency
range as the low-pass filter 210. Each of low-pass
filters 211 and 212 perform8 a
frequency band limiting operation and hence an integrating
; function and thus it integrates the processed correlation
value of the two signals. In other words, when the signal
R1 applied to the multiplier 208 from the multiplier 207
through the distributor 214 and the signal I applied to the
multiplier 208 from the hybrid coupler 220 are in phase and
similarly when the signals R2 and Q applied to the multiplier
.
_ 47 _ ~ 3 3 ~
1 209 are in phase, the output s;gnals of the multipliers 208
and 209 take the form of pulse signals of a constant polarity
(pulse signals of voltage +E) and the s;gnals are
respect;vely integrated by the low-pass filters 211 and 212,
thereby generating large pos;tive voltages at the;r outputs.
On the contrary, if the signals R1 and $ are out of phase
and ;f the s;gnals R2 and Q are out of phase, the output
signals of the multipliers 208 and 209 take the form of pulse
signals of randomly varying positive and negative polar;ties
(i.e., pulse s;gnals of the voltages +E and -E) and these
signals are respect;vely integrated by the low-pass filters ~;
211 and 212, thereby generating no outputs. After hav;ng
been integrated by the low-pass filters 211 and ~12 in this
way, the in-phase component signal and the phase quadrature
component signal are respectively supplied to the squaring
~ devices 215 and 216. Each of the squaring devices 215 and
r' 216 squares the amplitude of the input signal and supplies
the resulting output signal to the adder 217. The adder
;~ 217 adds the two input signals so that a pulse-like detected
~ 20 target signal such as shown in Fig. ll(c) is generated
`~ and supplied to the time-interval meter 218. Assume now
tlhat the maximum value of this detected target s;gnal occurs ~ ;
at a time tb. While the described method comprising the steps of detecting the ;::
,~ ~ . . ,-
in-phase component and the phase quadrature component of ;~
the transm;tting carrier wave from the signal obtained by a
correlation process on the received s;gnal and the maximal
'~ length sequence signal M2, squaring the orthogonal detection
_ 48 - 1 3 3 2 ~ 3 ~ ~
1 signals after the integration thereof and generating a detected
target signal as the sum of the pair of squared values is
more or less complicated in construction, the method can
produce a detected target signal of a high degree of
sensitivity. Also, due to the production of the correlation
output of the pseudo random signals such as maximal length
sequence signals, the effect of noise is reduced and the
signals are enhanced, thereby realizing a measuring system
having a high signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio. As regards the
1û carrier detecting method, there is of course a detecting
method employing a crystal which, although low in sensitivity,
is simplified in construction and this method may be used ~-
- depending on the specification and cost.
The time-interval meter 218 measures the time interval
TD between the time ta of generation of the maximum value
of the reference signal applied from the low-pass filter 210 ;~
and the time tb of generation of the maximum value of the
detected target signal appl;ed from the adder 217. For this
purpose, the time-interval meter 218 has a function of detect-
2û ing the maximum value generation times of the two input signals.
For instance, the input voltage value is successively sampled
,aind held by clock signals ln such a manner that the sampled
value by the current clock signal and the sampled value by
the preceding clock signal are successively compared by a
25 voltage comparator and the time of transition from the positive- :
::
going to the negative-going condition of the input signal
':
:
. . ~.
~ æ
!:
- 49
133~J~ ,
1 is detected, thereby detecting the time of generation
of the maximum value of the input s;gnal. The
t;me interval TD ;s shown as the interval of t;me
between the time t of generation of the maximum value of
the reference signal shown ;n Fig. ll (d) and the t;me
tb of generat;on of the maximum value of the detected signal
shown in Fig. 11 (c), As shown by
equation (2), the time interval TD is obtained in an expanded
s f1/(f1 f2~ times the propagation time
actually required for the electromagnetic wave to go back
and forth the distance between the transmitting and receiving
antennas 223 and 224 and the target 225. In the case of ;
this embodiment, f1 = 1û0.004 MHz and f2 = 99.996 MHz so
that in accordance with equation ;~
(4), the measured time TD ;5 expanded in time to 12,500 times
the wave propagation time ~ . The :
measured time TD is obtained at intervaLs of the period TB ~ ;
of the reference signal.
It wilL thus be seen that in accordance with this
embodiment the measured time is expanded very greatly and
the distance to any target can be measured accurately
even if the distance is short. Therefore, the embodiment ~ ; -
is suitable as a short-distance leveL measuring ~
, ,
~ apparatus for measuring,for example,the slag leveL or moLten
l ~
~ 25 steel level in a furnace. ~ ~
. , . ,.
~ Therefore, by determining the distance of x meters from
'~
_ 50 - 133~
1 the transmitting and receiving antennas 223 and 224 to the
target 225 from equation (3), we obtain the following:
x = (f1 ~ f2)/2f1 V TD = 1.2 x 104 TD ~ (S)
Referring now to Fig. 12, there is illustrated a schematic
diagram showing the second embodiment of the invention which
is applied to an apparatus for measuring the slag level in
a melting reduction furnace. In the Figure numeral 240
designates a melting reduction furnace, 241 a level measuring
apparatus proper, 242 a transmitting antenna, 243 a receiving
antenna, 244 waveguides, and 245 slag.
The transmitting and receiving antennas 242 and 243, which
are installed inside the furnace, are composed of water-cooled
i~ horn antennas and are connected through the waveguides 244
to the level measuring apparatus 241 disposed at the top
of the melting reduction furnace 240. The level of the slag
,~
245 within the furnace is obtained by transmitting an electro-
~ magnetic wave from the level measuring apparatus 241 through
h~ ; one of the waveguides 244 and the transmitting antenna 242, receiving ~ : :
.
~, l the electromagnetic wave reflected from the surface of the
slag 245 through the receiving antenna 243 and the other of the waveguides
~; 244 and then substituting the previously mentioned measured
time TD into equation (5) for computation. Actually, the
:~ measured value of the level measuring apparatus according-~to
;~
r
_ 51 - 1 3 3 2 f~
1 the present embodiment showed a satisfactory coincidence
w;th the measurement result obtained by measuring the position ~;
of slag depos;t;on on the sublance.
In add;t;on, ;n a measur;ng env;ronment tend;ng to-cause
any undes;red reflected wave, e.g., the l;m;ted space in a
furnace, ;n accordance w;th th;s embodiment the advantage
of the greatly expanded t;me for ~easur;ng the distance to
the target is util;zed in such a manner that only the detected
s;gnal due to the des;red reflected wave is extracted through
a time gate circuit and the detected signals due to the
undesired reflected waves are eliminated, thereby stably
measur;ng the desired level position or distance.
While, in this disclosed embodiment, the transmitting and receiving :~
antennas compr;se two separately arranged antennas, the
invention is not limited thereto and the antenna system may
be designed so that a single antenna is used as acommon
transmitting and receiving antenna and a directional coupler
f.~
or duplexer ;s added to separate a transmitted signal from
a received signal.
~t~ 20 Further, while the present embodiment has been described
as applied for level measuring purposes, by suitably selecting
clock frequencies for generating two pseudo random signals,
the embodiment can be satisfactorily applied to the distance
measurement of ordinary targets, incIuding long-distance ones,
such as, flying targets, ships and automobiles. .
Still further, while in this embodiment the carrier
wave comprises a microwave of about 10 GHz by way of exampLe,
:~ ' , .`.`:'' ~.
_ $2 ~ 1332~
1 it is also possible to use a millimeter wave, light, a ~:
sound wave, an ultrasonic wave or an acoustic wave as
the carrier wave.
Still further, the apparatus may be additionally provided
with a clock to compute a change of the measured distance
of a target in unit time so as to measure the speed of the
target.
1- ; I .
.
1~ ~
;"- r~" '
